She has loved him for years, so when Jared asks her to marry him for the sake of the orphaned children of his brother and her sister, Kate says yes. The foundation of their marriage is a mutual love for their nieces and nephew, but Kate hopes for more. As they learn about God’s ideal for marriage and how it works for them, danger from Jared’s past threatens their family. Will they have the chance to see if respect and affection can blossom into love before it’s too late? Or will a man’s need to protect his secrets rob them of the marriage Kate dreams of?
This is a very emotional story that I quite enjoyed. It's also a Christian-based book with scripture, talk of God, a family who goes to church each Sunday, Bible verses, prayer, and focusing on a Christian walk with Christ throughout your life. It was mostly focused on casting your cares upon Jesus. Handing your worries to God, placing it in His hands and trusting him to do what is best for you! I thought it was excellent without sounding preachy or pushing it down your throat.
Our hero is Jared whose brother Steve was married to Jen, the half-sister of out heroine, Kate. Steve and Jen were killed in a plane crash and Kate has been raising their four children for the last six-months. The children's uncle, Jared, was to be their guardian but Kate received a phone call two months after the crash telling her Jared had been killed in a car accident in South America while on one of his secret missions. So now Jared's horrible parents are trying to gain sole custody of the children.
It turns out that Jared wasn't dead after all (but there is someone or a couple of someones that want him dead and permanently quieted.) He is completely flabbergasted when Kate tells him that his brother and sister-in-law had died in a plane crash along with Kate's father and step-mother. She tried to reach him at his emergency contact phone numbers but was told he was out of touch for six-months. They refused to relay any kind of message. It appears someone was out to get him and possibly his new family.
Jared and Kate go to the attorney and he advises Jared that to ensure keeping his four nieces and nephews away from the clutches of Jared's evil parents and adopting them he needs to get married to gain custody...or let's just say he stands a better chance at being successful if he has a wife.
Several days later they are married...for the love and well-being of the children. Jared thinks about how he would never ever have chosen Kate to marry. He is also clear he doesn't love her and doesn't see that ever changing. That was sad because Kate has loved him deeply for nine years but she has never told anyone because she was well aware she wasn't the kind of woman he would want. She was relatively plain, not tall and shapely like her sister. Where Jen had black curly hair, Kate just had plain old boring brown says the hero. She was just average height...less average with her skinny body. That was quite sad and we are reminded by him several times that he doesn't love her and probably never will.
I have to admit his thoughts about Kate, or Katie, as he called her were a bit distressing. I just hated it that looks were brought into it.
Here are a couple of things that bugged me...a lot. Kate was a Christian and had been since she was younger but hadn't always lived the Christian lifestyle like reading her Bible and attending church. Jen and Steve had become Christians a short while back. The last time Jared had come home after a mission Jen and Steve were all pumped about their new-found faith and immediately shared it with Jared. But, Kate thought they had gone to their grave not knowing God because Jen had never mentioned it to her own sister, Kate. Then when Jared was on his last mission he spent some time with missionaries and that is when he changed his life. I found it really strange that Jen would not have mentioned her and her husband's conversion to her own half-sister, Kate. Did she not care about Kate's religious and spiritual well-being. Kind of confounds me.
SUMMARY: She has loved him for years, so when Jared asks her to marry him for the sake of the orphaned children of his brother and her sister, Kate says yes. The foundation of their marriage is a mutual love for their nieces and nephew, but Kate hopes for more.
As they learn about God’s ideal for marriage and how it works for them, danger from Jared’s past threatens their family. Will they have the chance to see if respect and affection can blossom into love before it’s too late? Or will a man’s need to protect his secrets rob them of the marriage Kate dreams of?
SUMMARY: I thought just looking at the cover of this book it was going to be a sweet fluffy romance but this was a great romance with depth and an added touch of suspense that came up in my face with a wallop when I was least expecting it. This was my first read by Kimberly Rae Jordan and I definitely look forward to reading more if they compare at all to this one.
This book has romance, action, and a hero and heroine who both have problems from their past that can only be overcome by faith in God and the love of another human being. I loved the fact that both Jared and Kate can find things in common in order to provide the best arrangement for their 4 nieces and nephews who have lost both their parents. It begins as a "marriage of convenience" but both Kate and Jared discover things about each other that helps them realize that they indeed might be a perfect fit. Jordan's faith thread fits perfectly throughout the story blending well with the romance and suspense and showing both Kate and Jared turning to God in prayer and decision making. Both learned that they had to "let go and let God."
I would recommend this book to readers who like contemporary romance with a touch of suspense.
FAVORITE QUOTES: "This was the life he was meant to live, the window that had opened when he thought God had shut the door."
"It's hard to give control of your life to someone else. And not just giving that control to God but letting Him keep it. When things don't go exactly to our plan or work out as quickly as we'd like, it's easy to take things back into our own hands and begin to worry over them again."
"A family brought together by circumstance but bound together by love."
'Marrying Kate' is a delightful story with a marriage-of-convenience twist. Jared is an honorable man already, but his level of commitment goes to new depths as he enters the realm of dad and husband. I eagerly awaited the moment when Jared falls in love with Kate. And I wasn't disappointed. :)
I am a total sucker for a clean arranged marriage story, even a contemporary one. There were some things in this book that irritated me at first, but the more I read the more I let it all go and just enjoyed this sweet romance. Normally a lot of preaching in a book distracts me form the story, but this was very well done and flowed nicely with everything that happened. I found myself reflecting on the guilt I hold and the reasons for it. I found this book had me reflecting on things in a positive way. There was some awkwardness in the writing of the conversations between characters. I found myself thinking no one would talk like that. The kids just seemed too perfect but I realized as I read she didn't want that to be the focus of the story and when it did matter she included it. The main character was very insecure and it bugged me but it really would be how she felt with all she had gone through. Overall I liked this story and was glad I picked it up.
Format: Kindle e-book Challenge Prompt: Best Reads’ Holiday Bingo’s “Book with dinner scene” — Kate takes cooking lessons to improve her lack of ability and impress her new husband. She makes a nice roast beef meal for her first.
Book #134 of 2025: NTM author
The premise of this book interested me. In many ways, I enjoyed it. In other ways, I was frustrated. The writing is a little choppy and inconsistent for me. Some parts are very simple and other parts are more appealing.
I am admittedly not a a fan of marriages of convenience. Yet I appreciated that two people could come together for the sake of the orphaned children. They didn’t plan for it to be temporary either. Both respected God’s plan for marriage to be a faithful and permanent choice. I felt the kids were written quite well.
With Jared, I feel quite uncomfortable with how he waxes poetry about his brother’s wife - as though she was the epitome of womanhood. It just felt icky. Nor does he hold back about how Kate falls short in every category. He doesn’t even consider her as a prospect until his lawyer friend suggests her. Here is a woman who left her previous way of life and her job to care for FOUR children as a single woman with no experience in parenting. She also spent her own money caring for them. He does not even recognize or acknowledge that until later on.
Kate is portrayed largely as a sad mouse in the beginning. That seemed to contrast with the fact that she gave up everything to take care of these kids. When they decide to marry for custody’s sake, she does everything and anything to be the wife she feels Scripture tells her to be. While I admire that, it feels rather odd for her to offer herself physically to a man that only sees her perceived faults. Yet he selfishly accepts it! I found that strange considering he was not attracted to her or in love with her. It would have been more believable if they got to know one another much better first. That’s what he himself had suggested beforehand.
The journey to get to know one another feels honest outside of the loveless physical relationship. It does appear largely lopsided with Kate giving far more effort. The children find happiness yet still struggle with their grief, which is completely natural. I enjoyed the character of Darlene and her selfless care.
Once Jared begins acknowledging and appreciating her efforts, the story improves for me. I just wish he would have verbalized and shown it more.
The dramatic suspense aspect of the story feels a bit forced for me but it certainly adds some interest. It also becomes a catalyst for Jared to get with the program and treat Kate as the treasure she is. Both characters have large growth arcs. Ironically, what they each gain was gleaned from the other in my opinion. I respect how their struggles in their faith are not ignored and that they both desire to mature in their walk with God.
I did wonder about a couple of things that were never answered to my knowledge. His parents disappear from the story after the custody case. Also, what happens to Kate’s computer program design? It was late when I finished so perhaps I missed these things somehow.
another amazing story by Kimberly. A wonderful love story. Kate career girl and Jared a world traveler how could these two ever find love. Story begins when four children are left parentless. Parents killed in a plane crash. Left to their Uncle Jared but he is assumed dead in a auto accident. Leaves their Aunt Kate to raise them but soon she finds out grandparents fight to get them. Meantime Uncle Jared returns he isn't dead but danger lurks. Plane crash was no accident. Neither was the helicopter crash he was in accident who is out to get him and why. What will happen to the little ones and to Kate. Well I could go on but I really think you should read. A wonderful story well written. You won't be disappointed in it. Will love endure?
very sweet Christian romance. Kate was an endearing heroine and Jared a sweetheart of a guy. There was a lot more to the story than I anticipated as far as some suspense, but it added to the texture of the story. I admit I am a sucker for the marriage of convenience story line. Well done :)
What do you think of when you see the premise of a marriage of convenience?
The first thing that comes to my mind is the movie Love Comes Softly. It's one of my family's favorites. As with most "marriage of convenience" stories, it is historical.
Marrying Kate is the first contemporary fiction "marriage of convenience" book I've ever read. In it, Kate and Jared come together for the sake of their orphaned nieces and nephew, but they have a lot to learn about love and trust. When the past threatens to tear apart this new family, will they lean on God's strength to hold them together?
This story was refreshing and held a thread of suspense. I liked the themes of learning to love and building new relationships in the midst of great sorrow. The author did a wonderful job with the "marriage of convenience" premise, and I particularly enjoyed that it was written in the contemporary style as opposed to the more popular (for that premise) historical.
Things I wasn't a fan of in this one were how much focus was placed on marital relations, many typos throughout, and the lack of reason for wanting to keep the children from their grandparents.
Marrying Kate was a good first book to read of Kimberly Rae Jordan's. I'm eager to see how she builds her writing career from here.
Pretty good Chistian read. Some spots got a little too preachy, and for the last 10% I thought it got a little lengthy and redundant. But, overall I enjoyed it.
Mild Spoiler: It bugged me that Kate wanted to consumate her marriage with Jared even though she loved him and knew he didn't love her. I thought it was very backward.
Moral Note: Marriage relations, clean nothing graphic. Mild violence.
I really enjoyed this story about Jared who was thought dead, and Kate who took over the children that had been left to Jared. It was interesting how Jared's death was supposed to have happened and why. There was mystery and romance. And a handful of sweet kiddos.
Good clean read. Looking forward to more from this author soon!
Obviously, I love this book because I gave it five stars. It was just so stinking good! The storyline is well developed and the characters were great. I love marriage at convenience so that was a plus. I love how Faith ended up playing a role in this. There is a bit of intrigue and danger in part of the book but it’s not too intense or heavy. Just enough to keep moving along. Excellent read!
This book! I don't know why I am drawn back to this book over and over.....but I am. I love Kate. She is a character that holds me, every time. I want a look at this family in ten years.
I love this book so much, it is inspiring. Kate left her life to care for her sister & brother-in-law’s children after they and other family have died in a plane crash. And she is doing it alone since she’s been told her brother-in-law’s brother has been killed in an accident. Then suddenly, months later, Jared appears when apparently his death has mysteriously and falsely been reported. A whole series of events take place ending in Kate and Jared marrying to keep the kids together and with them so that they will be raised Christian. But don’t be deceived, not only are both Kate & Jared Christian, the plan is for a marriage of convenience, but a real one that will last forever, and they tell the judge that; which is good and bad for Kate, as she has been in love with Jared for a long time and she prays he will fall in love with her also, but isn’t sure he will. And in the middle of all of this, they realize that the plane crash wasn’t an accident and someone is trying to kill Jared, so they have to find out who. Kimberly Rae Jordan wrote a sweet and suspenseful Christian love story that is phenomenal. It also teaches about things over to God and not worrying about them and taking them back.
I really loved the twists and turns that this story told! To have Jared realize that Kate loved him and had loved him ever she first met him and to realize that he indeed loved her after almost losing her was wonderful! Then to want to woo (court) her and wait for them to have a do over of the first wedding was so that they could declare their love in front of family and friends was so heartwarming! But the icing on the cake was for them to have their own son together ❤️ ❤️ that touched me to my very soul! Thank you for such an amazing story!!
This is another fabulous book by one of the very best Christian romance authors ever. The beautiful story at life after tragedy. Over coming heartache and guilt through trusting in the Lord. Most beautiful family story.
ancest Christian authors every. The books are so wonderful. Filled with romance, family and a reminder of Gods love and care for us.
A well written book about massive life changes and the sacrifices made to care for those we love. The story deals really well with Kate's unrequited love, and the changes in her life. Really enjoyed how things were tied up nicely at the end, even adding Darlene to the mix. A good read. Not too sappy.
Katie’s sister and Jerrod’s brother are killed in a tragic plane crash, leaving behind four orphaned children. In order to gain custody of their nieces and nephews, Kate and Jerrod enter into a marriage of convenience. Will their young family survive misunderstanding, danger, betrayal,and life threatening attack? Only God know.
So thrilled I found this author. It's wonderful to relate to life circumstances with God involved. Kate & Jared found the true essence of Gods's answering powers.
The storyline of this book is fantastic. The reminder that we should turn all of our concerns to God and leave them there is an eye opener. That is something we forget to do. God is just waiting for us to depend on Him. Thanks Kimberly for your faithful service to God.
This is a standalone from Kimberly Rae Jordan, I enjoyed it as much as some of the series she has written. Clean Christian romance with some added suspense as well and a tear jerker in places.
This book was amazing. Loved how it was family based and also with that bit of suspense added to it. Made for a ‘have to read and read’ anticipation. Great work!!
I've enjoyed other books by Jordan, so when this one was on sale, I picked it up. She does a good job with the marriage of convenience trope, and has a good suspenseful plot thread too.
This one was interesting. It had somethings that you would question if the girl was for real or just real nice and sweet. I could go into a lot of different things ,but I want you to read it. this way you can see all the things that goes on in the life of the two character's. Hope you enjoy this one also as much as I did.